FM9 Firmware Version 6.00 public beta (1)

[Ajegwu]

The display is showing you a rough approximation of the actual amount of CPU being used at any time. In reality the use is not nearly as smooth. It's more erratic, with spikes above what is displayed occurring. You need to allow for headroom so spikes can be handled. Showing the true CPU use is mostly impossible (the rate of change is high, there are many cores so a single number doesn't even make complete sense, etc.), so having a guideline that allows for the true use to be handled is what we've got instead.

In case we missed it, this is the real answer. Spikes.

Not sure what you mean by buffer, but yes, there is CPU overhead involved in keeping the box running. Though I’ve never seen a preset vary in CPU usage by 20%.

The 20% spikes are happening but faster than you can see it. Probably only takes a millisecond to cause bocks to bypass.

 

[Gonash]

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/usb-connection-issues-with-the-editor-help-is-here.194108/

OK, this was it! Something must have changed in the Preferences, had to switch the input and it started working right away. Edited my post to inform of this as well.

Thanks, guys! Great help!

 

[Darrin66]

Possible issue?

Please take a look at my presets. I set up a song to have separate Intro, Verse and Chorus presets. These are pared down from the original presets as I have some of Moke's stuff in there for acoustic and some 3rd party cab IR's so I don't want to post with that in there. If I combine everything into a single kitchen sink preset I go over the CPU limit, so I need to do separate presets.

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong but most of the time when I switch from Chorus back to Verse, I can hear something like 2 clicks or jumps (sorry guys, terrible description, I know). It happens when transitioning between all 3 at times. It might be a little hard to hear it, if I have the 3rd party stuff in there, the problem seems worse and easier to hear.

I'm running the latest FM9 Edit, 1.02.08. I'm using headphones. I tried disconnecting the USB cable, no difference. I'm using per preset and I had a previous issue where I had to take off all the Holds and set each foot switch Hold to Unassigned. Let me know if you need more info. TIA for any help you guys can provide.

Nobody having a problem switching from preset to preset? Should I take this to support?

 

[jiagap]

Thx for the update. Now for those of us in the ignorant camp, anyone know if there is a Yek like post explaining the new models and drive pedals? Also, the release notes say "Fixed several mistakes in Div/13 CJ amp models." - While I don't remember what they sounded like before, I am sure enjoying the Div/13 now. Very tastie.

• New Amp Models
  • JS410 Lead Green
  • Brit 800 2203
  • Brit 800 2204 Low
  • 5153 100W Stealth
  • USA MKV Green
  • USA MK V Red
• New Drive Pedal Models
  • "Nobelium OVD-1” Drive model based on a Nobels™ ODR-1. The BC (Bass Cut) switch is modeled via the Bass Response control. Set the Bass Response to 1.0 to duplicate the response of the pedal with the Bass Cut switch engaged.
    Set Bass Response to 5.0 to duplicate response with BC switch disengaged.
  • Sunrise Splendor model based on a JHS™ Morning Glory.
  • Gauss Drive model based on a Mesa™ Flux Drive.

 

[rstguedes]

I've

Nobody having a problem switching from preset to preset? Should I take this to support?

I had this problem during some tests today. When I change the presets the layout automatically changes to the scene layout (layout 2)

 

[unix-guy]

I've

I had this problem during some tests today. When I change the presets the layout automatically changes to the scene layout (layout 2)

You probably have Layout Links on your preset switches.

What you are describing has no relationship to what @Darrin66 is asking about.

 

[rstguedes]

You probably have Layout Links on your preset switches.

What you are describing has no relationship to what @Darrin66 is asking about.

Yes, I have. But I remember that the layout links changed only when I pressed the preset again.

Should I change something or update something else to work like before?

 

[unix-guy]

Yes, I have. But I remember that the layout links changed only when I pressed the preset again.

Should I change something or update something else to work like before?

I'm not really sure what you're trying to say. Layout Links always trigger every time the switch is pressed after the primary function fires.

There's nothing to change...

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

I am loving this firmware. I hadn't used the setlist feature on any FAS unit until this came out. I have been missing out HUGE. I was creating all these extra presets for each song like an idiot. My whole weekend is taken up just creating set lists for all the bands I play with or fill in for. haha

 

[Greg Ferguson]

I’d imagine preemptive multitasking is not a thing.
[…]
I bet most signal processing has to happen in order of signal flow in as close to realtime as possible.

Cliff said:

[38] Going all the way back to the original Axe-Fx I used a concept called a "Mailbox" to communicate between processors. Each processor has an inbox and an outbox. I'm self-taught in programming and computer science so it was just a way I came up with to send data back and forth. Turns out that mailboxes are actually a technique used in interprocessor communications. In this specific case the processor is checking the mailbox from the front panel to see if any buttons were pressed at power-on.

From my past, it's an event-queue IIRC but it's a multi-process event queue. It's "FIFO" because synchronization, not multitasking, is extremely important, and when the CPU is overloaded that synchronization goes out the window and things (the sound generation) fall(s) apart. There could be semaphores telling processes when they should wait, but there comes a point when processes are so slow to respond that the processing and sound falls apart.

I also imagine certain effects are more responsible for irregular DSP use than others. Ambient reverbs, shimmer verbs, any effect with heavy diffusion or scattering.

Yes, definitely. We know that the amp and drive models eat processors alive. Reverberation is also CPU hungry.

I’d bet you need to allow more buffer, closer to 20% of max, for those things to process effectively without overburdening the DSP.

Maybe that's why we're strongly recommended to keep 20%+ free?

Edit: I’m sure this is a bit of over simplification. As the signal is processed by certain effects I’d imagine more of the signal processing can be parallelized further down the chain. I imagine it is more like a huge tree. The signal processing is more in series until it hits effects that cause it to scatter into more parallel paths.

Seems to me like you're seein' it. Parallelization occurs and depends on the processors available to that particular unit.

Dig through the Wiki for "Ares", the underlying architecture for dealing with disparate hardware. On top of that is built the firmware, currently Cygnus. It's fascinating from the little revealed and only makes me appreciate Cliff and co.'s skills.

 

[DaveO]

Thx for the update. Now for those of us in the ignorant camp, anyone know if there is a Yek like post explaining the new models and drive pedals? Also, the release notes say "Fixed several mistakes in Div/13 CJ amp models." - While I don't remember what they sounded like before, I am sure enjoying the Div/13 now. Very tastie.

• New Amp Models
  • JS410 Lead Green
  • Brit 800 2203
  • Brit 800 2204 Low
  • 5153 100W Stealth
  • USA MKV Green
  • USA MK V Red
• New Drive Pedal Models
  • "Nobelium OVD-1” Drive model based on a Nobels™ ODR-1. The BC (Bass Cut) switch is modeled via the Bass Response control. Set the Bass Response to 1.0 to duplicate the response of the pedal with the Bass Cut switch engaged.
    Set Bass Response to 5.0 to duplicate response with BC switch disengaged.
  • Sunrise Splendor model based on a JHS™ Morning Glory.
  • Gauss Drive model based on a Mesa™ Flux Drive.

i believe the wiki is up to date through January 24, i was looking last night, just a vast amount of reading, phew! almost had an anxiety attack!

 

[Gonash]

I am loving this firmware. I hadn't used the setlist feature on any FAS unit until this came out. I have been missing out HUGE. I was creating all these extra presets for each song like an idiot. My whole weekend is taken up just creating set lists for all the bands I play with or fill in for. haha

I still have no idea how that works haha.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

i believe the wiki is up to date through January 24

@yek is a madman when it comes to maintaining the Wiki. There are others who help, but he stands way above everyone when it comes to compiling this information.

 

[DaveO]

@yek is a madman when it comes to maintaining the Wiki. There are others who help, but he stands way above everyone when it comes to compiling this information.

Its very impressive, just skimming over the drive block wiki to reference something I was interested in,needless to say was a major distraction and was a rabbit hole of information for peddles, some that I had owned and sold, ha ha... not to mention the ones I could never afford...

 

[Rex]

From my past, it's an event-queue IIRC but it's a multi-process event queue. It's "FIFO" because synchronization, not multitasking, is extremely important, and when the CPU is overloaded that synchronization goes out the window and things (the sound generation) fall(s) apart. There could be semaphores telling processes when they should wait, but there comes a point when processes are so slow to respond that the processing and sound falls apart.

It's hard to imagine the FM9 doing what it does without multitasking. Preemptive multitasking isn't well suited to real-time processing, but cooperative multitasking is well suited. That's where my guess goes.

 

[FractalAudio]

It's hard to imagine the FM9 doing what it does without multitasking. Preemptive multitasking isn't well suited to real-time processing, but cooperative multitasking is well suited. That's where my guess goes.

All our products use real-time operating systems with multiple threads. Audio is the highest priority thread. The displayed CPU usage is the percentage of the CPU that the audio thread is using.

If the audio thread uses too much CPU then lower priority threads will starve. The lowest priority thread is the "idle task". This thread handles user input (button/knob events). If this thread is starved then the unit will appear unresponsive.

 

[Ian Minogue-Corps]

Unless I'm doing something silly I've found a bug. if i change an effect block from say a phaser to a formant block, even if saved it does not update the scribble strip

 

[Tonemasterus]

Unless I'm doing something silly I've found a bug. if i change an effect block from say a phaser to a formant block, even if saved it does not update the scribble strip

Are you changing it in FC edit?

 

[Ian Minogue-Corps]

On my old Axe FX3, it updated automatically, thats what intrigued me tbh, all editing was done and saved in Axe-Edit,

 

[bertrandborgognone]

Since the new firmware update, the gain of the Two Stone J-35 is quite high and the amp breaks up very early. As I haven’t played the original amp in person, I can’t tell whether this behavior is intended or a potential bug.

Yes I have the same problem with my J 35 preset, I personally own a two rock Studio pro 35, and it has an extremely clean sound with lots of headroom. As far as I know, the Jet's clean channel is very similar to the Studio pro, and you can hear the clean channel here at the beginning of the video, it's really very close to my Studio pro 35.

I found this video on the fractal audio forum, when this model was added to the catalog of modelized amps.